SC to pronounce verdict in NAB amendments case on Friday

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan will pronounce its reserved verdict on Friday on the federal government’s plea requesting it to review the decision against amendments to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, ARY News reported.

A five-member SC larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, and comprising Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from all sides on June 6.

During the last hearing, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who challenged the amendments, attended the hearing via video link from the Adial jail in Rawalpindi and completed his arguments.

The SC heard the final arguments from all sides and reserved the verdict to a date to be later pronounced by the court’s office.

It is pertinent to mention here that the apex court struck down amendments made to NAB laws on the PTI founder’s plea.

In a majority 2-1 verdict, the top court had approved Imran Khan’s petition challenging amendments made to the country’s accountability laws during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government.

The top court also restored graft cases against public office holders that were closed down following the amendments to NAB laws.

Subsequently, the federal government filed the review plea in the case under the SC Practice and Procedure Law and made the Federation of Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau, and PTI founder respondents.

Citing no violation of basic rights with the NAB amendments, the federal government pleaded with the SC to review its decision. “Legislation is the right of the Parliament,” the plea said.

“This was a paramount consideration when we had dismissed the application. And, our apprehension proved correct later in the day”, it added.

Read More: NAB’s remand period extended through ordinance

Earlier on May 28,  acting President Yousuf Raza Gilani approved an ordinance to amend the existing law, empowering the NAB to keep an accused on physical remand for up to 40 days.

As per the new amendments, the NAB can detain the individuals accused in cases under the anti-graft watchdog for 40 days after then acting  President Yousaf Raza Gilani signed the NAB (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 into law. The new ordinance extended the period of remanding accused in NAB cases from 14 days to 40 days.

Moreover, the sentence duration for the officer convicted for framing cases based on guilty had been reduced to two years from five years.

The new amendments have also been challenged before the Lahore High Court.